Journaling has been one of the major buzzwords in the wellness community for the last number of years and has continued to follow us into 2026. Every wellness influencer, self-help book and podcast all rave about journaling – and it’s for a good reason.
The act of journaling is just as simple as it sounds – it’s when you take time out of your day to simply journal. Whether that’s writing a long essay to yourself, expressing your feelings or maybe it’s sketches and drawings that reflect your thoughts, dreams and ambitions, it’s effectively whatever you want it to be.
But can jotting down random thoughts really lead to a better life and mental clarity?
@miahahahaa write down your feelings ladies 📝🧡 #fyp #journaling ♬ A Couple Minutes – A COLORS SHOW – Olivia Dean & COLORS
What is journaling?
While it is as simple as it sounds, many can get caught up in the true meaning of journaling, and instead of having it as an activity to clear your mind and get away from blue light screens, it can often lead to a notebook full of to-do lists that adds to already high stress levels rather than reducing them!
Journaling is really the practice of regularly writing down your thoughts, feelings and reflections in a safe, private, and personal space. This space is the unedited version of you, a space where you can truly be yourself. Any thought, worry, memory, or feeling can be jotted down and expressed to gain a better understanding of who you are as a person and to recognise your emotions.
Just like chatting to a good friend – it’s a place to express yourself with zero judgement!
And the best part about journaling – there are no set rules, no subscriptions and no right ways to do it, it’s just whatever you feel is best for you, to relax and release. You don’t have to do it every day; every week or two weeks is perfectly fine. It’s all about creating a healthy habit of checking in with your mind every once in a while.
And you don’t need any fancy set-up either; a good old notebook will do just fine!
@natalieefer_ Journaling is not just about writing, it’s about intention. Start your day with purpose 🫶🏻 #selfgrowth #journaling #morningroutine #journalingideas #journalprompts #journalprompt #journalingtips #personaldevelopment ♬ original sound – nat
Benefits of Journaling
For a very simple wellness act, journaling has many benefits that can help you create a more positive mind:
Reduces stress and anxiety – by writing down your feelings, it helps to release any negative emotions, worries or burdens and can even help you to stop overthinking. It’s essentially just a big brain dump for any issues that are causing you stress or anxiety. Simply writing out the things that trigger these emotions can reduce your heart rate and allow you to relax and overcome any challenges.
Improves self-awareness – As journaling becomes part of your routine, it will help you become more self-aware. You can recognise unhealthy patterns in your life and understand your needs and what changes you might need to make in your life to create a more positive atmosphere.
Regulates emotions – by writing down our thoughts and feelings, this can help us to confront and manage any emotions we face. From happiness, sadness, and everything in between, we can recognise why we feel these emotions and what impact they can have on us.
Boosts mood and positivity – many of those who journal like to note little things in their days or weeks that they are grateful for. It doesn’t have to be anything big, but allowing yourself to appreciate the little things in life can make you feel more grounded and increase your happiness.
Clarifies goals – by writing out the goals you have for the future and defining what you want to achieve in life can help you create the life you are after and increase your happiness levels. Writing out your intentions can help you bring your dreams into reality and help you live the life you truly deserve.
Some prompts to help kick-start your journaling journey!
While there is no set way to journal or what you should journal about, it can be daunting at first, looking at a blank page, not knowing where to start.
To help ease you into the journaling lifestyle, here are some prompts that you can begin with:
- What are you grateful for today and why?
- How are you feeling in this moment?
- What are you struggling with and what are some ways to overcome it?
- What is something that you did today that made you feel proud of happy?
- One positive change in your life from last year.
- When do you feel your happiest?
Journaling won’t help you become the best version of yourself overnight, but it can help you to listen to your body and mind. And that simple act of writing and checking in can help build a more confident and positive you who is ready to take on all of life’s challenges!